'The mouse officially kills the fox': Disney drops the ‘Fox’ from 20th Century Fox's name

The Walt Disney Company has dropped the word “Fox” from 20th Century Fox’s name. According to a leading international magazine, the studio is now known as 20th Century Studios, while Fox Searchlight Pictures, another 21st Century Fox asset acquired by Disney, will henceforth go by the name Searchlight Pictures. The main reason for the big changes in the Hollywood entertainment giant is Disney's purchase of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets which took place in March last year.

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Touted as one of the largest media mergers in history, Disney Corporation bought the money-minting entertainment portion of Fox Corporation for a whopping $73 billion. Post the deal, it is reported that the word 'Fox' has been removed from the logos of both, 20th Century Fox as well as Fox Searchlight Pictures. The films produced under these production houses will now have a slightly different beginning without the name 'Fox' in the logo. However, the elements of the logo-swirling lights, the giant-sized monolith, and the music will remain the same.

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No changes have been announced for the television division of the production house which has 20th Century Fox Television and Fox 21 Television Studios in the frontline. Fox News is now the only entity of Fox Corporation that remains with the owner, Rupert Murdoch. He was once the chief executive of 21st Century Fox but is now chairman at Fox News while his son Lachlan Murdoch is the CEO.

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Upcoming movies

Bearing the label of 'Searchlight Pictures' for the first time will be upcoming comedy-drama Downhill featuring Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Will Ferrel as lead actors. The film is expected to release in the US on February 14 and in the UK on February 28. Meanwhile, American adventure film The Call Of The Wild based on Jack London's novel of the same name will be the first film to release under 20th Century Studios. The film featuring Karen Gillan and Harrison ford is slated to hit the theatres on February 19 in the UK and February 21 in the US.

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(Picture Credits: AP)